Guitar Pedalboard Setups

Brad Finley (www.MyGuitarWorkshop.com)

    Part of getting your live sound together; after buying the guitar (or guitars) that suit you best, trying-out some amps, knowing what strings and picks fit your style, is working through guitar pedalboard setups. Assuming you are one of those players who has chosen pedals, and not modules or rack effects, then you are definitely looking to either build a pedalboard or will be trying-out the various professional guitar effect pedalboards on the market. But whether you use a home made pedalboards or buy custom pedalboards, there are some basics to the design you should either be incorporating or looking for.

Your first concern with your guitar effects pedalboard is the ‘board’ itself. I know it

sounds simple, but you need a surface that can fit all the pedals you will be using (or might be using…more about this in a moment) and also a pedalboard that fits on stage! You can cover the board with whatever material you like (a non-slippery surface is advisable), while custom pedalboards could be covered with carpet or made of rigged plastic. But really, size is the main factor here. Using more than six pedals, you run the risk of diluting your sound with all that processing…not to mention you are marching into the world of gargantuan guitar pedalboard setups you might not ever return from! We have all seen those guys, mostly non-pro players who can barely afford it, lugging these monstrous boards on stage, taking up almost all the room, just so they can look down over a hundred little knobs and switches they never even use!  

     The rule of thumb is, when making home made pedalboards or buying custom ones, is to have a board big enough for you to add on to (a bit) but if you feel a pedal isn’t absolutely necessary to your sound, then it’s probably one you could do without. Of course all of the above goes out the window if you buy professional custom pedalboards. Then you are limited to not only that company’s pedal, but the particular types of pedals they offer and the specific sizes of their boards.

     Of course the type pedal you buy and use is up to you. In fact, at certain time of your life you will want some pedals, while at other times you will want to replace favorites for new ones. And if you’re like most players, you’ll most likely favor one brand over another, yet still want that one pedal made by a competitor, (this is why professional guitar effect pedalboards can be a tough fit). But beyond specific pedal selection, which no one can really decide for you, another important factor when it comes to your pedalboard is power.

     The powered pedalboard can be a many-headed beast! Oddly enough, the way you power your home made pedalboard, or the style in which a manufacturer has their powered, can effect not only the way you use your board but the overall sound. Some people claim a distortion pedal sounds best when batteries are used as a power source, while other players want the ease of a board they can simply plug-in and use. Luckily, most music stores now cell daisy chain plugs, so if you are forgoing batteries, you can hook-up all your pedals through that and plug them in. And not that you have to worry on those pro boards, but with a home made board you should include a good surge protector with your power source.

     Guitar pedalboard setups are as individual as the players determining them. Whether you go the professional custom route or are adventurous enough to try and make a homemade pedalboard, the above few factors should get you on your way to your individual sound. Remember, no matter if it is homemade or a pro model, you’ll need those ever-disappearing, but so important patch cables so keep those little buggers handy as well, and if your powered by battery, best to keep a bunch of 9volts in your pocket as well.